Thus closes my notes for the month of December and also for the year just passed and gone and now numbered with the things that were. Whether the Almighty will spare me to chronicle the daily events of the incoming year is more than I know but trusting in Him I shall enter upon the pleasing task, which is useful as a reference and may be profitable to those who have an interest in me.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

To day the boys finished hauling cotton from Mr. Leaverton's gin. they made 3 loads, making in all 10 loads. I ground 28 bushels of corn. My son James [James Wrigley Hall] had a fever and is quite sick. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up and spent the day she also remained all night. weather cloudy & cool, with indications of rain.

Friday, October 25, 2013

To day I drove my horse and buggy down to Hall's bluff after my leather that I had left with Capt. Stubblefield to have some shoes made for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], he having declined to do so. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode out hunting but without success. I stopped at Father's [Joshua James Hall] and got dinner as I returned home. weather clear & cool with a hard frost at night.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

To day the boys are still hauling cotton from Mr. Leaverton's gin and made 11 loads. I ground 6½ bushels of corn. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], children and myself in the buggy and Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] on hawk all rode out to gather hickory nuts. we succeeded very well. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] went out hunting but without any luck. Weather clear & cold with another hard frost at night.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

To day the boys were compelled to stop working in the mill field to haul cotton from Mr. Leaverton's gin, he wanting the use of it for his own crop. they made 3 loads. I ground 18½ bushels of corn & killed two fine ducks. Weather changeable and cold with a strong wind blowing from the north. at night there was a hard frost which killed nearly all kinds of vegetation.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

To day the boys finished preparing the mill field to sow barley. I ground 3 bushels of corn. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode over to Mr. Keen's to have the balance iron of the mill repaired. In the evening I drove my horse Rob and buggy down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] after the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children, whom I found all well. we returned home at night. weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain & very cold for the season of the year.

Monday, October 21, 2013

To day the boys are preparing the mill field to sow in barley & wheat. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I had a great deal of trouble with the mill balance iron having to raise the mill rocks several times. we however succeeded in grinding 16½ bushels of corn. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. and children rode down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and remained there all night. weather cloudy & cold with indications of rain and a strong North wind blowing.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

To day the boys finished putting the fence around the new ground in the mill field. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I put the mill stones down. when I ground 6 bushels of corn. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] is still down at her Grand Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. At night a strange woman came to the house and remained all night. who she was or what she was doing I could not learn. but as she behaved herself I let her depart in peace. weather cloudy & rather warm.

Sesquicentennial

In the year 1860, James Madison Hall sat down to pen a few lines in a journal, and thus began a project that would continue on an almost daily basis until his death almost 7 years later. On the 150th anniversary of the beginning of that journey -- 16th January 2010 -- J.M. Hall's writings began appearing on this blog on a (hopefully) daily basis.